"Thank you for taking time out of your day to lend us a hand." Aqua Lad thanked Magneto.
"It really does means a lot." Sting Ray said.

"It isn't every day my son asks me for help" Magneto replied, looking to Pietro, "although you never did explain why you're here with the Young Justice team. I thought you were on vacation with C-"

"Yeah well you know how things happen" Pietro cut him off, "uh, thanks dad."

Magneto looked at him, then glanced at Sting Ray, "... Well then." he handed Ciara a remote with one button on it, "press the button and the metal dissolves. Something new Forge came up with for me. Best of luck" he looked back at Pietro, "be safe, and do call if you need anything else."

Sting Ray smiled nervously and waved good-bye before slipping the device into her belt. "Thanks again."

Magneto waved and took off into the air. Kid Flash let out a breath he'd been holding, "Well... he seems nice, for, y'know, one of the biggest terrorists of this decade."

Sting Ray didn't hesitate and slapped him over the head, "You hold your tongue. That man did what he had to do. What HE thought was right. None of you have the right to judge him. Got it?" She said firmly. It had been the most serious tone of voice she'd ever used. No one talked about Eric that way. They had no idea the things he had had to do to stay alive. Ciara wasn't even sure Pietro knew the hardships his father had gone thought.

KidFlash flinched away from her, "yeek. Okay, okay" he held up his hands in surrender, "consider me quite as a mouse"

"It's fine" Pietro shrugged, "He was a terrorist. He still strikes terror into the hearts of non-mutants and even mutants alike. Just don't attack him at first sight. It's progress" he turned to walk away.

Sting Ray followed after him, "You ok?....I was thinking of heading out. Gotham has a really kicking night club and I could use a night on the town. Wanna come?"

"Sounds fun" Pietro nodded, "I'm doing alright. I still don't like asking him for help though."

She kissed his cheek, "I'm really proud of you for doing it though." And she hurried off to get ready.

It had been several months since Ciara had truly been OUT. She's spent a month in the Healing Hand, almost a month under surveillance at home and then another month in the Young Justice's base. This was her first escape attempt that actually kinda worked. Sure Pietro came with her but he was her boyfriend. It was kinda his job to go out with her.

The music was blasting in the Nova Factory club. You could feel the vibrations. It was wild, lights flashing, music blasting and people just dancing...

There something crawling in the dark
I don't see it but I know its after me


Ciara felt all her troubles leave her as she danced to the music on the dance floor. Nothing to fear, no one to save, just her and the music. She felt free, as light on her feet as she'd even been. No worries or cares.


^Her outfit.

Pietro was glad to let loose an party hardy, all night long.

Woooooohooooo

Ciara went out to the balcony of the club, needing to get some air. A popular american artist came on over the speakers and anyone who had been on the balcony had grabbed their dates and headed inside to dance.

She wiped the sweat from her brow, and sat on the railing around the balcony and let out a calming sigh. It'd been so long since she'd decided to do something and didn't have someone else breathing down her neck telling her it wasn't in her best interest to do so. Even if it was just dancing.

She looked out onto the city. She really liked the look of Gotham. Most of the buildings had that 20s-30s look to them.

"Ladies please, there's more than enough to go around" A familiar voice spoke from just inside the club, "but really, I'm trying to give my friend here a good night on the town. Why don't you all take him for a drink?" Bruce slipped a fair amount of money to each pretty lady, "and keep the change." he grinned and waved them off before strolling out onto the balcony for some fresh air and letting out a sigh of relief. He leaned on the railing not far from Ciara and breathed in the night air.

Ciara heard the voice but didn't turn. She sat there on the rail for several mins before speaking, "By coincidence or are you here to make sure I haven't turned evil again and drag me back to one of my many non-prison like cells?" She asked lightly not looking at him.

"Entertaining an old friend" Bruce replied simply, "and figured you might need someone to talk to. If I was checking up on your evil or good status, I'd be wearing a different face."

Ciara pulled off her glasses as a faint smile came across her face. "Good point..." She folded them up in her hands. "They really should invent that.... A little bar floats above your head and tells you whether they're good or bad..." She looked out at the city, "I'm fine I guess...What did you think I wanted to talk about?" There were so many things going on. It was hard to pin point which to talk about.

Bruce chuckled a bit and turned to lean back against the railing as he looked at her, "Pick something. You've been through a lot and my... vacation, hasn't exactly turned out the way I expected. Still, good to see you're getting some R and R in."

((Speaking as Bruce Wayne instead of Batman is... freaking me out XD))

She sighed, relaxing her shoulders. "I dunno... Some much has happened, been happening to me these last four months. I've been kidnapped before. I've been tortured before... I've been experimented on before and in no time at all, I jump back from it and keep sailing along that river we call life... But, this time... it's different. I just keep getting slammed into a brick wall. Each time I think I'm finally back to normal BOOM. Something else comes up.

I finally made terms with being used by him. That it wasn't my fault. I had no control. But the fact he made me act the way I did. Made me think I... I loved him and that he actually care about my well being. That he ripped my friends and family away from me and then sent me to nearly dead on top of that mountain..." She gripped the railing hard, "It makes me so angry. So enraged that my mind becomes blank and nothing else matters then making him pay, to suffer the way I did... I know I need to let it out. And I thought I had pushed those feelings back but the other day... when that...that thing on Dick's neck taunted me... Saying that Reach would enjoy cutting up my corpse for science. I snapped.

All I could think of was ripping that tech from his body and crushing it in my hand." She got down from the railing, and leaned against it, her hands in fists, "If Dick hadn't broken free of it's control at that moment... I might have... killed him..." She covered her mouth, taking a deep breath, trying to stay calm.

"...Why did you pick me? Clearly you had had time to think about it before I even arrived here. Having a suit ready and everything for me..."

Bruce watched her a moment, then shrugged, "I didn't pick you. I was just prepared for the possibility. We all have to find our own ways of coping, that's mine. To be ready for everything. Dick used to treat it like a game" he couldn't help but smile slightly, "coming up with impossible situations just to see if I had an answer."

She smiled as well, "So you're telling me you design outfits for all your guests. And here I thought I was special." She chuckled lightly and leaned her head back, " That does sound like a good game... Though I'd appreciate it if my suit was more resistant to electric shock. Dick nearly had me when that thing decided to flee. Your toys have quite the punch to them."

"It is fairly shock resistant" Bruce replied, "however most of the suits I have made are programed to allow access to other specialized wayne tech."

"Fairly shock resistant to you maybe. But for some of us who are pretty much a walking water balloon... It's not so shock proof." She joked and then sighed, "...Aqua Lad knows who I really am, and I think Super Boy might know as well... And I'm sure Eric has put two and two together after the request from Pietro. Keeping two identities is hard work. Thought I suppose Eric will want to have a talk with me whenever I get home... How I shouldn't be hiding behind a mask." She said lightly.

"The mask my fault I'm afraid" Bruce replied, glancing back at the club to check that no one else was coming out. He'd convinced the DJ to play several very popular songs to keep people inside for a little while. "If the public was aware of a working relationship between the dark knight and Ciara McCoy... you'd get more harrassed than normal. Not to mention the amount of arkham assylum patients that would like to talk to you."

Ciara followed his look back into the club, "I dunno, I think I'd rather enjoy throwing the Riddler out of more windows.." She chuckled. When she'd first met him, she's thrown him out the window of the old Ice-cream place." But No. I get it. Being the center of the mutant movement alone is hard enough, I'm in magazines, talk shows, in meetings, meeting various world leaders... I don't know how Jeanne did it all those years. I may have hated her guts but I'll give her props for doing all this work..."

A group of giggling girls were hovering around the door and finally managed to work up the courage to come towards Bruce. Bruce gave Ciara one last look, "Try adding billionaire playboy and number one bachelor to the list."

"Um, excuuuuuse me, but aren't you like... Bruce Wayne?" the blond asked, twirling a strand of hair. Her shirt could not have been smaller without showing actual nipples.

Bruce turned on the award winning smile and charm, "As a matter of fact I am. And you must be my new date" he offered her his arm, as well as one of her friends, "You know you have the brightest personalities in this whole joint. Practically glowing over here."

She waved. Ciara slipped back on the sunglasses and couldn't help but let out a laugh at his comments. Yes. Bright personalities indeed. She looked out at the city one last time before turning back to the club.

"Huh. Over ten mins and Pietro hasn't come out to check on me... Weird. Well, better go find him." She said softly to herself.